High pressure pumps for fuel injection systems conventionally have a pressure-limiting valve (also called a pressure control valve or pressure relief valve). This is generally coupled to the high pressure pump such that it is hydraulically locked. “Hydraulically locked” means that the pressure-limiting valve discharges into a pump chamber of the high pressure pump. Accordingly, during the pump delivery stroke the pressure-limiting valve is hydraulically locked and is not able to open. In order to avoid losses in terms of efficiency, the opening pressure of the pressure-limiting valve is adjusted so that it does not open during normal operation of the internal combustion engine. In the event of a fault resulting in a full pump delivery, system pressures may occur which are considerably outside the specified high pressure range. As a result, for example, the injection valves are no longer able to open. An operation of the motor vehicle is no longer possible or could lead to damage, for example, to the catalytic converter.